IP Library Granted Patent US 12,644,739
Granted Patent B2
US 12,644,739 · App. 18/030,755 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Flowmeter

Inventors: Markus Helfenstein (Lucerne, CH); Florian Strasser (Lucerne, CH)
Assignee: GWF AG
G01F1/662G01F1/667G01F15/06G01F15/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,644,739
App. No.
18/030,755
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a flowmeter with an optimized flow cross-section.

Claims (23)

1 . A flowmeter having a flow channel which can be attached to a pipeline through which a fluid flows and on which a measuring unit is held which has at least two sensors, spaced apart from one another which are designed as ultrasonic transducers, that couple their measurement signals in and out through a recess in the flow channel, and having a control unit, accommodated in a control housing, for actuating the sensors and for processing the measurement signals wherein each sensor is respectively contacted with a separate contact board and wherein the contact boards in turn are electrically connected to a main PCB of the control unit, and wherein the sensors are mounted on inclined support surfaces of a measuring channel upper part, and wherein the inclined support surfaces are disposed entirely within a contour of a housing wall of the control housing.

2 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein the contacting of the sensors or of the contact boards takes place via lines or via moldings, as plastic moldings with conductor paths.

3 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein the contact boards are soldered or bonded to a respective sensor, wherein sensor electrodes are realized in an area of a large surface remote from the bottom of the control housing or a measuring channel upper part and/or along a peripheral wall of the sensor.

4 . The flowmeter according to claim 1 , wherein the contact boards are separately and positively positioned, via fitting recesses and fitting pins engaging therein, with respect to the control housing or the measuring channel upper part.

5 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein the control housing has a housing cover that exposes a view of a display (EDU).

6 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 5 , wherein the housing cover is connected to the control housing via a multi-part sliding frame.

7 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein the control housing is tapered towards connection pieces.

8 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein a battery is contacted/fixed to a large surface of a main PCB facing the measurement channel insert.

9 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 8 , wherein the battery is arranged with its longitudinal axis transverse or parallel to the flow direction of the control housing.

10 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein a display unit (EDU) and a communication module are also accommodated in the control housing, which together are offset approximately at a parallel distance to a housing cover with respect to the main PCB.

11 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 10 , wherein the communication module is designed with an antenna integrated into the control housing, which is covered by the housing cover.

12 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 1 , wherein the contacting of the sensors with the respective control boards is realized by material bonding, by adhesive bonding or by bracing.

13 . A flowmeter, comprising:

a flow channel which can be attached to a pipeline through which a fluid flows and on which a measuring unit is held which has at least two sensors, spaced apart from one another which are designed as ultrasonic transducers, that couple their measurement signals in and out through a recess in the flow channel; and

a control unit, accommodated in a control housing, for actuating the sensors and for processing the measurement signals wherein each sensor is respectively contacted with a separate contact board, wherein the contact boards in turn are connected to a main PCB of the control unit, and wherein the sensors are mounted on inclined support surfaces of a measuring channel upper part; and

an inlet insert and/or an outlet insert attached to the measuring channel section and also configured to be inserted through the recess, wherein the measuring channel section is delimited by a measuring channel lower part and a measuring channel upper part or the control housing.

14 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 13 , wherein both inserts are identical in design.

15 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 13 , wherein the measuring channel lower part and/or the measuring channel upper part remain the same for different nominal widths of the flow channel and an adaptation to the nominal width takes place via the inserts.

16 . The flowmeter according to claim 13 , wherein the inlet and outlet inserts are formed with an axial stop towards the measuring channel upper part and towards the measuring channel lower part, respectively.

17 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 13 , wherein the inserts and the measuring channel section are designed in such a way that in a transition area from a fluid inlet and/or fluid outlet to the measuring channel a reduction of the flow cross-section is carried out in each case in such a way that the fluid is accelerated in this area.

18 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 13 , wherein guide ribs are formed in the area of the inlet and outlet inserts.

19 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 13 , wherein the measuring channel upper part has a housing flange to which the control housing is attached, and which forms a bottom of the control housing.

20 . The flowmeter according to patent claim 13 , wherein the measuring channel upper part and/or the measuring channel lower part are attached to a bottom of the control housing and with this peripherally delimit a section of the measuring channel.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2025
From: BAILI-BIO (CHENGDU) PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
To: SYSTIMMUNE, INC.
Reel/Frame 070550/0135 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2023
From: HELFENSTEIN, MARKUS; STRASSER, FLORIAN
To: GWF AG
Reel/Frame 063250/0452 →
Priority Claims (3)
DE 10 2020 127 027.5 · Oct 14, 2020 · national
DE 10 2020 130 357.2 · Nov 17, 2020 · national
DE 10 2020 130 517.6 · Nov 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230417587A1 · Dec 28, 2023
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